Several years ago, I bought the Crochet Flower Pattern Collection by Stitch Diva Studios. I’ve tried 2 of the patterns. This is supposed to be the Spira-Flora. I swear I followed the directions on this flower and the other one that I made, but neither came out like the picture on the pattern. Very frustrating.

I decided to get rid of the pattern sheet.

It makes me think of a dandelion.

From Crochet Bouquet: Easy Designs for Dozens of Flowers

These flowers are a joy to make. The instructions, unlike the Spira-Flora, are easy to follow.

I made this 20 years ago, or there abouts. I lurvs it.

Does it look anything like an aster?

The pattern is from Crochet Bouquet: Easy Designs for Dozens of Flowers.

This is Hep Cat from Amigurumi!: Super Happy Crochet Cute. I highly recommend this book. Her instructions are very clear, and it makes the construction process easy.

I used a 3.5 mm (E) hook with Lily Sugar’n Cream Solid in dusty rose that I have had lying around since the 80′s and a poly microfiber from Joann’s. The S’nC was for the body and the poly was for the clothing. They eye patches are in pearl cotton. There’s a substantial difference between the weight of the S’nC and the poly, but since I’m not going to buy any more yarn until I work the stash down, I’m stuck with what I got.

I really love the toes on this fellow. I found out that I hate sewing with invisible thread. And I need to work on my embroidery skills.

It’s starting to look like a cat, instead of a turtle.

I made the mom and baby 2.5 years ago. A few nights ago, I embroidered the face on the baby. I’m better at crochet than embroidery.

They have free patterns on their site, too. Hm, they aren’t really patterns, but they are very interesting stitches/stitch guides/motifs.

I’m a big fan of Elisabeth Doherty. So, of course, when her book, Amigurumi!: Super Happy Crochet Cute, came out, I bought it.

And (can you believe it? ) I’m actually working on something from it. I’m making Hep Cat. Pulguito thinks that I am making it for him. The paws are from some old Sugar N Cream yarn (dusty rose color – that should tell you how old it is). The arms are from a poly microfiber yarn that I picked up at Joann’s; they don’t carry it anymore, so I can’t tell you what it is. I bought it to teach Chunguita how to do something, but the yarn didn’t have enough twist; her hook kept catching. It’s a lighter weight than the pattern calls for, but it seems to be working fine. I didn’t do any gauge adjustments. I think the arms came out fine.

Elisabeth’s directions in the book are fantastic. For example, she gives explicit locations on where to place things like eyes. She has a couple of techniques that are new to me, too, like the invisible decrease and the way she closes off the end of the arms and other pieces. I highly recommend the book.